The Dreamwalker
by WildWolfMoon
Summary: “There is no other world! There's only Izaya!” Sasori paused in the kitchen doorway. “How...are you so certain?” he whispered, before turning the corner and disappearing from view. AU
1. Prologue

_If...my eyes shut...will you be able to open them again?_

--- World of Izaya ---

At least he was breathing.

Sasori counted the rises and falls of Deidara's chest under his breath as Kakuzu slowly, carefully, stitched the gaping hole in the blonde's chest shut. Deidara's hand was held limply in his own, the fingers much too cold and delicate.

The room was almost silent, except for the mutterings of Kakuzu as he pulled the bloody flesh together and the almost inaudible whispers of Deidara's breathing. The windows were shut tightly, and the room was dim, not quite dark.

Sasori could feel the room humming with ghosts, though, drawn by his dying friend. Sasori was a dreamwalker, a spirit seer, and he knew in another world, another life, he also had a Deidara, a more deranged one, and that one was not about to die, like this one.

This world, he knew, was different from that other Sasori's, the one who was him but wasn't. Everyone here had a power, one or two things that they, and only they, could do. Killing here came often; someone jealous of another's gift, or a quarrel with the wrong person.

It was the way of life, and death, and it was because of these power's that this Sasori was holding onto this Deidara's hand. This world gifted everyone who lived here with some strange thing, but out of the millions, if not billions of people who populated the globe, Sasori knew a few people with the strongest of these powers. They included him and his three friends, but there were more of these people here, that they had yet to meet.

...But their powers were always getting in the way, like his dreaming, Kakuzu's healing, Deidara's fire, Konan's paper....it caused them more harm then good, especially for a fire-child like the blonde.

"They were jealous," Sasori mumbled, tracing a scar on his friend's arm with one finger, and Kakuzu hummed in reply, pulling the needle through again, tugging at it to make sure it was completely through.

"Our powers are stronger than other peoples, Sasori," the miser murmured. The other world had a Kakuzu, but he was more irritable and bad tempered than this one. They were missing someone though...the only one for Kakuzu, tone of the six names Sasori knew but never remembered.

"Same as in the other worlds," the red head said softly. Kakuzu just sighed and shook his head, tying a knot in the thread.

"There are no other worlds, Sasori," he said firmly, tucking the spool and needle into his pocket. "There's only Here. There's only Izaya."

Sasori shook his head, watching Deidara's pale face sadly. A cut dug into one side of his friend's face, a mark of what his power had given him. "How do you know? I'm the dreamwalker and spirit seer."

Kakuzu shrugged, cracking his neck. "Sure, all I have is a healing power, yes. But I don't think there is anything else, Sasori. Our powers would destroy it, won't they?"

Sasori didn't reply, and Kakuzu took that as his cue to leave. A thin stream of light darted across Deidara's face as the door open and shut. Deidara's face was too pale, Sasori decided. He knew he himself was pale, but Deidara was tanned. He shouldn't be as white as he was.

Bending over until mere centimeters separated their lips, he whispered, "It's because of what we are...this world..."

Deidara shifted, turning his head to the side slightly, and Sasori smiled gently, not moving away just yet. "It is because in this world..." he murmured, stroking Deidara's hair, "I am useless. I'm not in the other one, you know....I save you there, instead of having it the other way around..."

Deidara whimpered, his hand tightening in Sasori's. The red head sighed, leaning forward and pressing his lips to his friend's gently, trying to convey what he couldn't say in either world. "I'll say it..." he mumbled against Deidara's warm lips. "One day, I swear I will."

The ghosts hummed as Sasori sat up, wiping his forehead. "We're not completely gathered here," he told his sleeping friend, his cheeks flushed. "When we are...then you'll know what I can't say..."

"Sasori!" Kakuzu called, his voice muffled by the closed door. "Konan wants to know what you want for dinner!"

Sasori stood up with a loud sigh, tilting his head to stare at his friend. "When we're all here..." he whispered, "Then you'll know."  


* * *

_There are worlds...and not worlds. Which one...are we in?_

_

* * *

_**Author's Comment: **Another series.

Anyone want me to continue this, or do you not like it?


	2. Chapter 1

_The sunlight hurts my eyes...but not as much as your pain does._

* * *

Izaya was a world based on power.

This was ingrained into everyone's head. Be stronger, work with your power, it's not good enough...

But sometimes, Sasori thought, it's better than good enough, or worse than pathetic.

He took the stairs two at a time, clambering down into the brightly lit living room, where Kakuzu lounged at the coffee table, examining a holo-soun, this world's version of a book. Words danced in front of Kakuzu's face, and he chewed his lips as he studied them. The machine projecting them into thin air whirred loudly.

There was no paper in Izaya. Only screens and brightly lit words that you could always see, no matter how dark the room. No paper at all, except for one exception.

Sasori heard clattering coming from the kitchen, followed by a female's voice, cussing loudly. "Konan?" he called, heading for the open doorway.

The kitchen was a mess. Pots littered the floor, and a holo-soun displaying a recipe for teriyaki chicken was lying on the ground. Konan's lower half was missing, and paper flew around the room, trying to straighten things up as Konan directed it.

Konan was a paper child, a girl composed entirely of paper. Similar to Deidara, a child made of flames.

Sasori didn't know what he was made up of. Dreams, maybe.

He jumped over a pot and landed lightly on the ground, staring up at his friend. "What are you doing?" he asked in his soft voice.

"You're taking over," Konan snapped, calling her paper back to her, lowering to the ground as the sheets began to form her legs. "How's Deidara?"

"Bonfire's fine," Sasori murmured, bending down to pick up the holo-soun. "You want me to make thus?" he asked, raising the device and giving the woman a questioning look. She nodded, snapping her fingers at her paper hair flower, and it rose up from it's place on top of the kitchen table.

"They called again," she said quietly, leaning back against the counter as Sasori gathered what he needed, taking the chicken out of the refrigerator and flipping the heat on the mokin-sho, this world's stove. The pan hovered inches off of the surface, and small flaming birds flew up to the pan and back.

"Why must they call for me..." he muttered as he opened the chicken, tossing a few of the pre-cut chunks into the pan. One fell to the side, and a bird caught it in it's beck, burning it to ashes before disappearing with a cry.

"You're the world's best dreamwalker, Sasori," Konan replied, raising her hand. The paper lifted up at the edges, folding over into a small crane, and she examined it carefully.

"I don't care," the red head replied, grabbing the bottle of instant spice. "Teriyaki," he said aloud, and then turned it over, shaking out a few glittering flakes that melted as soon as they touched the pan.

Konan sighed, allowing the crane to collapse. "You can't control it."

Sasori didn't say a word as the pan shifted around, keeping the chicken from burning. "I don't like this world," he said finally.

"It's the only world," Konan said automatically, already used to this argument. "I know you can walk dreams, but how do you know there's another world?"

"It like you knowing that you can turn into paper," Sasori shrugged. "Have Kakuzu set the table, please. Food's almost done."

"Are we just eating meat tonight?" the woman asked, raising an eyebrow as she pushed herself back to a standing position. "No veggies?"

"Powers don't need it, Konan," Sasori replied quietly. "We don't need it."

She gave him an odd look, but he ignored her, and finally she left the room, muttering under her breath as Sasori finished cooking their dinner.

* * *

"We can't avoid them forever. The Oto" Kakuzu said matter-of-factly as Sasori heaped some chicken onto his plate.

The Oto.

The people in Izaya responsible for most deaths. The ones who drove sane people to murder, and breathed hatred into the peaceful. They wanted the four powers that Sasori, Konan, Kakuzu and Deidara possessed, and would get them.

Sasori sighed as he dumped some food onto his own plate. The red head supposed it might smell good, but he didn't know...his sense were dulled because of his dreamwalking power, just like Deidara's were enhanced.

Sasori set the bowl down silently, taking his seat. "Our powers..." he whispered, picking up his fork and poking at his chicken.

"What was that?" Konan asked, shoving some of her food into her mouth, eying Sasori as she chewed.

"They want us because of them," the red head said softly. "Wouldn't it be better if we didn't have them?"

Kakuzu looked horrified. "How would we protect ourselves then?" he demanded, stabbing a piece of chicken so hard it cracked his plate, but he didn't glance at it.

"If we didn't have them," Sasori explained, nibbling at his food, "We wouldn't be attacked. Deidara wouldn't be about to die. Kakuzu wouldn't work shifts at the hospital, a job he hates. Konan would not have to hide when it rains."

They didn't say anything to that, and the table was silent for several minutes.

"They're coming for us, though. The Oto, and they showed they'll do anything to get us, even kill one of us, or hurt us like they did Deidara" Kakuzu said finally. "What can we do?"

Sasori tilted his head, smiling for the first time that evening. He had to avoid the Oto. They represented too many things he wanted to forget, and were the cause of his strong powers.

"We will not," he said, "Be doing this alone. We are not the only ones the Oto wants."

"Who else is there?" Kakuzu asked bitterly. Sasori merely shook his head, still smiling.

"I'll have to ask the other world," he replied, getting to his feet and gathering his plate and silverware. Konan groaned, slapping her face with her hand.

"There is no other world! There's only Izaya!"

Sasori paused in the kitchen doorway. "How...are you so certain?" he whispered, before turning the corner and disappearing from view.

* * *

_You're holding the whole world in your hand...but I have my own, right here._

_

* * *

_**Author's Comment: **This is fun xD Hope y'all like!


	3. Chapter 2

_The sky promises endless freedom...what more can you offer?_

* * *

_"You're late," a voice whispered in Sasori's ear as the red head opened his eyes, eying the huge willow in front of him._

_"I'm not," Sasori mumbled, settling down into the grass and leaning back, looking at the clear blue sky, humming for a moment. The land was silent as Sasori began to sing quietly. "..And I don't want the world to see me, cause I don't think that they'd understand. When every thing's made to be broken, I just want you to know who I am...."_

_"What song is that?" the voice asked, and Sasori lifted his head, shading his eyes with his hand._

_A man was sitting across from him, head tilted to the side. Red hair like Sasori's fell into his face; although the newcomer's was longer. Dark gray eyes, a blank face. The Sasori of the other world._

_"It's a song from another world," the dreamwalking Sasori replied as he sat up. "I got it when I walked through a teenager's mind."_

_"I see..." the other red head muttered. "It's a nice song. Or at least that part is."_

_The dreamwalker smiled tiredly. "You look well, my lord."_

_The other Sasori nodded his head, eyes unfocused. "I'm fine, I suppose. Pein is sending Deidara and me to the Grass Village soon...someone there knows too much on us."_

_The dreamwalker knew what his clone was talking about. The criminal organization, Akatsuki, and the land of ninjas...he had been sleep visiting the puppet master since he was eight, and here he was, eleven years later. He should know this by now._

_"What about you?" the puppet master asked, tilting his head to the side and studying the dreamwalker out of his clear gray eyes, a careful and calculating look, and the dreamwalker paused to wonder if that was he looked like sometimes. "How's the world of powers?"_

_The dreamwalker dropped his head, twisting his fingers in the grass. "The Oto injured Deidara," he mumbled, taking a deep breath. "I don't know why they would go after Deidara and not one of the others...his power is best for combat."_

_The puppet master sighed, running a hand through his thick hair. "A fire child...he's so much like my Deidara..." he said softly. The dreamwalker could feel his clone's eyes burning into him. "We're very different, aren't we." It wasn't a questions._

_"Our worlds are," the dreamwalker corrected, tilting his head back to look into the puppet master's eyes._

_The puppet master nodded, eyes unfocused. "I wonder how I can do this..." he whispered, and the dreamwalker's eyebrows shot up in confusion. "How I can dreamspeak," the puppet master amended, noticing the look on the dreamwalker's face. "My world doesn't allow for things such as these."_

_"What about Deidara?" the dreamwalker pressed, leaning forward and letting some urgency leak into his usually bland voice. "What about him?"_

_The puppet master sighed again. "Our Deidara's are more delicate than either of them admit. They hide more than they should...like that boy you dreamedtalked to...the Syaoran boy."_

_The dreamwalker said nothing, merely gave the puppet master a cold glare._

_The puppet master chuckled. "You're not happy with me."_

_"Obviously. You haven't told me anything useful."_

_"Of course not. You have to figure it out on your own, dreamwalker."_

_They sat in silence, and the dreamwalker began to hum the tune he had been singing before, he had to fill up this silence, somehow..._

_"The first one is coming," the puppet master muttered, startling the dreamwalker._

_"What?"_

_"The first one. The ones I know that you don't. A man who's whole past is nothing but pain and misery, and it's hardened him into who he is today." The puppet master gave him a small smile. "He's a better man than you will think. Our time is up, dreamwalker Sasori."_

_The dreamwalker bowed his head respectfully. "Until the next sleep, lord Sasori," he repeated dutifully._

_Then the whole scene was washed out in white, and the dreamwalker was falling through endless snow and ice, praying that he would wake up, because someday, he wasn't going to.  
_

* * *

_Not everyone can be caught, but they can all be held..._

_

* * *

_**Author's Comment: **The song Sasori was singing: Iris by Goo Goo Dolls

...so weird...and random Tsubasa referance...please spare me...


	4. Chapter 3

_When it rains...someone has died...and the world mourns them._  


* * *

Sasori's eyes opened slowly, his vision blurring as he squinted, trying to make sense of his room. One hand shaded his eyes from the sunlight pouring in through the large window. His head was fuzzy from just waking up, so he merely stared at the bright light for a few minutes, waiting for his body to fully wake up.

Sasori didn't really mind his power. It wasn't the best for combat like Deidara's, or very useful like Kakuzu's, but he found that he liked the peace of walking dreams. Dreamwalking still it's dangers, though.

Like that fact that one day, Sasori wasn't going to be able to wake up.

He wouldn't be dead, he'd just be lost in sleep. Sasori knew he wasn't the only dreamwalker in this world; but he was the best. The other dreamwalkers...many of them were already trapped in their dreams, unable to wake up, reliving nightmares and paradises.

It didn't seem that pleasant to Sasori, so he tried to avoid walking through dreams that could catch him and hold onto him.

A crash sounded from downstairs, and the dreamwalker winced at the noise as he swung his legs out from under the covers. He could hear Konan's voice rising and falling; she was arguing with someone. He didn't hear anyone responding; she must be talking through the akuja.

"Who's she speaking to?" he whispered, looking up at the pale blue smoke hovering in the corner of his room.

The smoke hummed loudly, and Sasori could feel the vibrations in his head as the smoke surrounded him, lifting him off the bed as it whispered, _"Her mother...her mother..."_

Sasori groaned as the smoke dropped him back to the ground gently. "She's not going to be happy," he mumbled, heading for his bedroom door. Konan's voice was shrill; Sasori suspected that only dogs could understand what she was saying now.

The hall's wood floor felt icy to his bare feet as he padded down the hallway, rubbing at his eyes blearily. It was after he woke up that he felt the most like he was dreaming...when he dreamwalked, it was the same thing as being awake; just more relaxing.

He paused outside of Deidara's shut door, tracing the doorknob with his fingers thoughtfully. He wanted to see his friend, but at the same time, Sasori suspected it might be safer if he stayed away from him.

Nothing good ever came from dreamwalkers, after all.

"Bringers of eternal sleep..." he murmured, eyes sliding shut momentarily. "Souls cursed to never know what it is like to live, because they are forever walking. Nothing solid holds any interest for them; sleep is the only thing that welcomes them."

_If that is true, why do they want me?_ he asked himself silently, opening his eyes a fraction. _I'm a bringer of what they don't want. My power is not welcomed in this world. What does the Oto want from me?_

Loud crashes sounded from downstairs, and Sasori sighed wearily as he headed for the stairwell. "Konan?" he called.

"THAT STUPID BITCH!" the roar was loud, much louder than Sasori had thought the paper child could yell. "I CAN'T BELIEVE HER!"

Sasori rolled his eyes as he scrambled down the stairwell. "Konan, what did she do?" He doubted she heard him thought, as she continued with her rant, and more crashes filled the air. The dreamwalker silently prayed that Deidara could sleep through this.

"I TOLD HER TIME AND TIME AGAIN I WILL _NOT_ DATE WHOEVER SHE PICKS OUT FOR ME, DAMMIT! I DON'T CARE IF HIS FAMILY'S RICH, I'M NOT DATING HIM!"

Sasori paused on the last step, taking in the damage as Konan let out another shrill scream, yanking a holo-soun off the wall and hurling it at the akuja.

The room was already littered with various items, from clothing to holo-souns to Konan's suumio, a device that automatically straighted and styled her hair.

"What did she do?" Sasori repeated as Konan began to kick the wall in frustration. Konan whipped around to face him so fast he was surprised her neck hadn't snapped from the whiplash.

"Oh, nothing," she hissed through clenched teeth, calm gray eyes turning silver with fury. "Just set me up on a date with Itachi Uchiha."  


* * *

_Is this...worth all of this pain...that we have suffered?_

_

* * *

_**Author's Comment: **It's not going to be ItaKo xD Dun worry.


	5. Chapter 4

_The quiet scares me...because it screams the truth._  


* * *

Konan slammed a glass full of bright blue apple juice in front of Sasori, followed by a plate full of sliced pale purple banana. Sasori raised an eyebrow at her as she slumped into a seat across from his, sipping her silver coffee. "Food isn't this color in other worlds," he said, as he said every day.

Konan growled at him, sloshing her coffee onto the table as she slammed it down. Sasori watched her in mild surprise. Usually she had more patience for his morning routine.

"Will you shut up about the "other worlds"?!" she snapped, slamming her palms into the table. "There's nothing but Izaya! And even if there was..." Her teeth were clenched, eyes flashing silver as she lowered her gaze, voice still as loud as ever. "There'd be nothing but pain and hatred there too!"

Sasori didn't say anything, and merely chewed an apple slice thoughtfully. The juice was a darker shade of blue than the apple itself, and it was sweet, so sweet it set Sasori's teeth on edge as he chewed.

Konan let out a long breath, and Sasori could hear her teeth grinding together as she flopped back into her chair. "Sorry," she said shortly, grabbing her coffee mug.

"Healer and Bonfire are not having nice dreams," Sasori murmured, nibbling at his apple. Konan gave another tired sigh, rubbing at her temples. Sasori noticed her hair was still tangled; she must have not used her suumio before throwing it.

"What are they dreaming about this time?" she asked, sipping her coffee, fixing her now clear gray eyes on the red head curiously.

Sasori didn't know if this was a normal dreamwalking thing, to see into dreams when awake. Granted, he could only do it with people he was close to, but it was still a strange thing. Dreams belonged to the world of sleeping, not waking.

"Bonfire..." he began, picking up another apple slice and biting the corner off of it, "Is dreaming of his family."

"He didn't know them," Konan cut in, shaking her head. Her paper flower seemed to just realize it was missing, and a huge clump of hair was turning brightest white, folding over on itself as the woman sat there.

Sasori shot her a look, and the woman sat back in her seat, pursing her lips. "He's remembering meeting them, Konan."

"He never did!" she protested. "My family just took him in; he never meet them, he has no idea who they are!"

"I introduced them," Sasori said quietly, "In a dream. I thought it would be fun, but they told him...that they hated children of flame. And...even in the dream, you could feel their hatred for him. I can't believe I made him go there, sometimes." Sasori looked down at his plate, chewing on his lower lip nervously. He could still remember the look of pain and misery on the blonde's face, and his heart throbbed painfully.

"And Healer?" Konan asked gently.

"He's dreaming..." Sasori began, thanking Konan silently for not pursuing the issue with Deidara, "About someone. Someone he doesn't know here, but in the other-"

"In the other world he does," Konan cut in, rolling her eyes. "Yes, yes. How is this a bad dream for Kuzu-chan?"

"Because he doesn't know this person," Sasori continued, chewing on another apple slice. Honestly, Konan had to buy less ripe apples, these were far too sweet. "He wants to; because that person means something to him. But he can't...remember their name."

The two sat in silence, and Konan swirled her coffee around in her mug; silver liquid sloshing over the edge once again. Sasori picked through his friends' dreams silently. How could he do this? See a dream, but be awake, and conversing? He sighed, chomping away at his apple.

"Names hold power," Konan whispered after a few minutes, and Sasori gave her a questioning look. He could feel one of the dreams becoming fuzzy; Kakuzu was waking up.

"They hold power over everyone," she continued, staring into her empty mug. "I don't know why I feel like this, but a name is something that I think can be used to control someone else."

Another moment of silence, although Sasori could hear Kakuzu's grumbling from upstairs as the miser made his way downstairs.

He counted the seconds until the explosion off in his head: 3...2...1...

"KONAN! WHAT THE _FUCK_ DID YOU _DO_?!"

"IT'S NOT MY FAULT!" the paper child screamed back, jumping to her feet and storming over to the living room door. She yanked it open to reveal Kakuzu, hands fisted, eyes narrowed. "I THREW A TEMPER TANTRUM BECAUSE MY MOM IS FORCING ME TO DATE ITACHI UCHIHA!"

Kakuzu's angry expression dropped to be replaced by shock. "Itachi Uchiha? You mean, shapeshifter Itachi Uchiha?"

Sasori watched as Konan's back tensed up. "A...shapeshifter?" she said slowly, and the dreamwalker could hear the strain in her voice. "I...I thought he was a flyer..."

"That's his brother," Kakuzu said with a wave of his hand. "Itachi's the shapeshifter, his brother can fly. Now, what are we going to do about the living room?"

Konan didn't reply, and Sasori was sure that her eyes were unfocused.

"Hey, Ko?" Kakuzu asked, waving a hand in front of the woman's face. "What's wrong? You sick or something?"

"He's a shapeshifter..." she repeated, her body beginning to shake.

"Didn't we already clarify this?" Kakuzu asked, shaking his head. "Now, seriously, Ko, what's wrong?"

"Shapeshifters..." she said slowly, "Must all die."  


* * *

_I'm not worth saving...because I've already been saved._

_

* * *

_**Author's Comment: **I forgot to say this is going to be more updated than any of my other stories for a while, sorry.

Lame ending. Sickness kills writing, i swear. One more reason to get over this.

And Itachi's a shapeshifter. Dun ask why.

And no, i'm not colorblind. Food is just differently colored in Izaya.


	6. Chapter 5

_Do you know...why snow is white? It's because...it's forgotten what color it once was._  


* * *

"See you later," Kakuzu muttered as he opened the door for Sasori and Konan, showing them out into the bright sunlight. Sasori blinked, shading his eyes from the sudden glare as he stepped out and onto the moving sidewalk as the two headed out on their shopping trip. They were almost out of groceries, and Sasori had convinced Konan that getting outside would be good for her bad temper.

Konan was on her own piece of floating sidewalk, a few meters away as the ground soared downwards, away from their home suspended in the sky.

The wind tourseled Sasori's hair as they flew by other homes, drifting in thin air. They were dropping, very quickly, yet Sasori couldn't help but feel bored. After all, he had fallen like this before, feet on a small piece of concrete, with only that between him and death.

Konan's lips were thin as the sidewalk jerked forward, heading for the floating palace before them. Sasori didn't say anything as they glided along.

The day was warm, and the breeze was comfortably cool against the dreamwalker's skin as they neared the main city. Konan's shoulders were tensed, so there was little conversation.

When the sidewalk slowed, bumping against the main pavement of the floating city, Konan tilted her head to look at Sasori. "My date is tomorrow, before you ask."

Sasori nodded, stepping off onto the main sidewalk.

The floating palace-city of Izaya was something to behold. Sasori wasn't sure what kept it afloat, but here it was...a whole city, floating in the sky. The whole place was built of white marble, soft golden, and a pale blue stone Sasori could never remember the name of. It was pure and peaceful. And far too quiet.

Of course, this was only the main city, Junula. It was meant for those who liked the quiet and purity and peace, like Konan. Danema was meant for those that wanted fun, and explosions, alcohol and a good time. The city of outlaws, and the insane.

Danema was where Deidara had been attacked.

The darker city was farther away from their floating house than Junula was, and when they were getting Deidara to their home, Sasori had been scared that Deidara was going to die, seriously going to die.

Danema was also the hang-out of the Oto.

Sasori was thinking too deeply to notice what Konan was going, and when she shoved a bag into his arms, he nearly dropped it from shock. "What the fuck?!"

"So dreamwalkers can swear," Konan commented, looking amused. "I thought you were a bunch of stiffs. It's food; don't drop it."

Sasori nodded, tightening his grip on the heavy bag in his arms as he looked around. The city was fairly empty today; only five or so people where in the same street as himself and Konan. A nearby teenage girl was talking to a huge white dog, and as Sasori watched, the dog raised itself onto it's back feet, turning into a teenaged boy as he stood fully up.

The girl grinned, and the brunette boy grabbed her hand and dragged her away. Flowers grew in the street behind the girl; bright blue, silver and pink.

"Oy, daydreamer, come on. We still need to get stuff," Konan called, already heading for the next store. Sasori turned to face her, a vague look on his face as he hurried after her.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

When they arrived back at the house, Kakuzu was in the kitchen, throwing vegetables into the pan on the mokin-sho. His mask was gone, his dark hair tied into a pigtale at the back of his neck.

He mumbled something as Sasori and Konan fought their way into the messy room, dumping their bags onto the counter.

"What's up?" Konan asked, grabbing another knife and joining in with chopping up the veggies.

"Deidara woke up," Kakuzu replied. Sasori froze in the doorway. "He wants to see you, Sasori," the miser added, raising his voice.

Sasori nodded, feeling something tight within him release. Deidara was awake. He was awake, not lost in some dream world Sasori didn't want to reach, because of all the nightmares and pain there.

Konan gave Kakuzu an odd look when she noticed Sasori's tense back, but he merely shook his head and mouthed _"not now"_ at her.

And when she turned back, the doorway was empty.

Sasori paused outside of Deidara's room, breathing deeply. He had to keep himself calm; he couldn't get worked up about this...

He opened the door nervously, peeking around the corner. Deidara was sitting straight up, staring blankly at his hands, blue eyes glazed over as he flexed and relaxed his fingers. They were trembling, and as Sasori watched, Deidara sighed, letting a small flame dance out of his mouth and vanish into thin air.

Fire children like Deidara were made out of fire. Quite literally. Unless they were sick or hurt, their body was always much warmer than others, well above the norm. Snow and rain was a mortal enemy, quenching both their outer and inner fire. They prefer to drink gasoline over water, although to them, it was like alcohol.

Sasori took a slow step into the room, trying to not make any noise. The floor creaked, and he winced as Deidara started, turning to face him with a bright smile.

The blonde's bangs fell away from his scarred right eye, and the long scar that ran through it. It was shut; and the skin sunken, as he no longer had an eye there.

"Danna."

It was all Sasori could do to keep from breaking down at that fake happy smile on his blonde's face. Deidara should need to fake his happiness, he needed to be happy...

Sasori gave him a tight smile as he crossed the room, sitting at the edge of the bed. His hands were places over Deidara's; he could still feel them shaking.

"Hi, bonfire," he whispered, staring into the blonde's remaining blue eye. Hadn't he met someone like his blonde before? A blonde with blue eyes, more delicately built than his blonde, a fake smile that served as an unbreakable mask, a past so clouded with misery and death it was unimaginable?

Deidara licked his lips. "I worried you, un."

"Maybe." They sat in silence, not able to find any words, anything that needed to be said. He didn't need to know about Konan's prearranged date; Deidara would learn of that when he was stronger, able to laugh it off instead of worry about it.

"I'm sorry, un," Deidara mumbled, startling Sasori.

"For what?" the dreamwalker asked, frowning at his friend. The blonde was staring at their hands, hair hiding his eyes from view. His lips were set into a frown, although it was more thoughtful than sad.

"I made everyone panic, un," the blonde whispered. "I made them worry, and they shouldn't worry about me, because I'm not important."

Sasori sighed. "Deidara, I'm not going to argue with you right now. Don't say things like that, I wouldn't fight with you, and we should just enjoying the silence together."

"But it's so loud, un," the blonde murmured, tilting his head back and allowing Sasori to see his eyes. No, eye. He didn't have two eyes any more.

"What is?"

The blonde turned his head to stare into a corner. "The silence. It's screaming at me, un. It's telling me things I don't want to hear."

Sasori frowned. "I think you need more sleep. Sleep. Don't let me keep you up."

The blonde shrugged, starting to lay down, but tightening his grip on Sasori's hand. "I'll sleep if you stay," he mumbled, letting his single eye droop shut.

"I'll always be here," the dreamwalker whispered, squeezing his best friend's hand. "I promise."  


* * *

_The quiet...scares me because it screams the truth._

_

* * *

_**Author's Comment: **Nice and long, to make up for my not-updatingness for the last few days.

Cookies to those who guess who the teenager girl and the dog-teen were.


	7. Chapter 6

_Close your eyes...the light hurts you more...then the darkness ever will._  


* * *

He was not stalking Konan.

No, she had "requested" that he keep an eye on her during her date, declaring that all shape shifters, such as Itachi Uchiha, were untrustworthy people who should never be allowed to reproduce.

Hence the large can of mace and the pocket knife dripping with poison Sasori had seen her stuffing into her purse before they left for the city of Zuzunja. City of love.

The cafe Konan was sitting in was repulsively pink. Everything here in Zuzunja was either pink, or white, or red. Even the trees. The one that Sasori was currently camped out in was the most neon shade of hot pink the dreamwalker had ever seen, with off-white leaves shaped like hearts.

The whole thing was burning his eyes, he swore. He'd be lucky if he was able to see after this.

He had never been to Zuzunja before. Kakuzu had visited it once; to see a client of his who owned True Love's First Kiss, a store filled with toys and chocolates, all designed "to get your one!"

Kakuzu had plainly said upon returning he'd rather spend the rest of his life in Danema then another hour in Zuzunja. Sasori privately agreed.

His thoughts snapped back to the pink reality as a waiter, dressed in a salmon pink suit and hearts painted all over his cheeks approached Konan's table, leading a dark haired, red eyed man who's hands were flexing and relaxing, the fingers shifting into a new form each time: claws, knives, question marks....

Konan glanced up from her novel as the waiter bent over, whispering in her ear. The man, Itachi, sat down across from her, and Konan shot him a glare as the waiter stood back up again.

To live in Zuzunja, your power had to be related to romance. The woman who owned True Love's First Kiss was an expert in love potions, one reason for her shop's popularity. The man who owned the Kiss Cafe, the place where Sasori was currently watching Konan at, could draw up certain feeling in those within a nine meter radius, love and lust among them.

He was too far away to here what Konan and Itachi were saying. He could see their lips moving, and Konan's very tense smile.

Sasori felt his attention slipping away as his eyes drooped shut. He had stayed up all night, watching Deidara and stroking his friend's hair, feeling incredibly happy.

He could see Konan's body tensing, however, and Itachi's face paling as Konan stood up shakily, slamming her palms into the table as she leaned forward, hissing at the poor weasel.

Sasori wasn't sure if it was due to fear or just a desire to escape, but Itachi's form was shrinking, his hair graying and covering his whole body.

Konan's hands shot out and grabbed the fleeing mouse, bringing it to her face as she continued to hiss threats.

Sasori merely rolled his eyes, letting his body relax into the crook of the tree. As long as Itachi didn't die or become horribly injured, thus forcing them to take him home, life was okay.

He began to doze.  


* * *

_Itachi's head shot up, eyes redding as his mouth set into a thin line. The book he had been reading a moment before dangled from his limp hand before dropping with a heavy thump._

"What is it, hun?" Kisame asked, glancing up from the mission report he was writing. The look on the weasel's face could not be anything good.

Itachi slowly turned to face him, eyes narrowed and cold. Kisame gulped. "I feel that something very bad is happening to me."

"What?" Kisame blinked. Itachi looked fine. Hell, Itachi looked as he always did, perfectly, flawlessly beautiful. Angry, but beautiful.

"Something bad," Itachi repeated.

"You're just fine, hun," Kisame replied in confusion, his forehead wrinkling as he studied the weasel.

Itachi gave him A Look. His eyes were like chips of ice."Something bad is happening, and it's all Konan's fault."  


* * *

Sasori snapped awake when Konan's paper dug into his cheek. He yelped as the pain registered with his brain, barely able to prevent himself from toppling out of the tree before he latched onto the trunk.

Konan's torso appeared, arms crossed across her chest. Her cheeks were red with anger, gray eyes nearly black. "We need to return to the house," she said flatly. "We require Kakuzu's services."

Sasori blinked, slowly releasing his hold on the tree. "Why?"

Konan's nose twitched. She took a deep breath, head dropping to the ground before saying, "I crushed Uchiha's ribcage. I don't think his family wants him back broken, so Kakuzu should fix him before we give him back."

Sasori merely sighed, before pushing himself off the pink branch and dropping to the crimson sidewalk. "Konan, you can't do this to him."

She floated down besides him, huffing as the paper flying around began plastering together, forming her legs. "Why can't I? Because he's rich? Because he's an Uchiha?"

Sasori shook his head. "No. Because Itachi in the other world is not happy, and about to take it out on the me in the other world. Itachi's who we're looking for. He's like us, Konan."  


* * *

_Breathing is so much harder...then drowning...._

_

* * *

_**Author's Comment: **...I hate this chapter. So much. But there was no other way to progress the story. And Zuzunja is funny.

...I should really work on something other than the Dreamwalker....


End file.
